| Willamette Falls Locks | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
 Steamboat and barge traffic in the lock, circa 1915
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| Built/Founded: | 1873 |
| Added to NRHP: | 1974 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 74001680 |
The Willamette Falls Locks are a lock system on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1873, it allows boat traffic on the Willamette to navigate beyond Willamette Falls. Located in the Portland metropolitan area, the four inter-connected locks are 25 miles upriver from the Columbia River at West Linn. The locks are operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and serve primarily pleasure boats. These locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
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History
The Willamette Falls Canal and Locks Company was formed in 1868 to build a navigation route around the falls.[1] Construction then began on building a canal and lock system around the west end of the falls.[1] The locks opened on 1873-01-01, as the first multi lift navigation locks in the United States at a cost of $560,000, and has been in continuous use ever since. Maria Wilkins, a steamship, was the first vessel to use the locks.[1] The Army Corps of Engineers purchased the lock system from Portland General Electric in 1915 for $375,000.[2][1] The locks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Threat of closure
On January 12, 2008, the Willamette Queen, a diesel sternwheel tourboat, locked through the Willamette Locks, on its way downriver to Portland. At the time, it was possible the Willamette Queen's return journey to Salem, would have been the last time a vessel passed through the locks. The Corps of Engineers needed $511,000 to do an inspection of the locks in 2008, which is several times the annual budget required to run the locks.[3] The locks closed in January 2008, but received $1.8 million in April 2009 as part of the federal government's economic stimulus plan.[4] The money was earmarked to repair and inspect the locks, with an additional $900,000 awarded to the locks in October 2009 to allow for the repairs to be completed by February 2010, and to provide the funding to operate the locks once repaired.[4]
Details
The locks are owned and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and passage through the locks is free for both commercial and recreational boats. There are seven gates in four chambers which lift up to 50 feet (15.5 m) elevation change (depending on tides and river flow) with a usable width of 37 feet (11.2 m). The system is 3565 feet (1087 m) long, and can accommodate vessels up to 175 feet (53.3 m) long. Each of the four concrete constructed chambers are 210 feet by 40 feet.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Corning, Howard M. Dictionary of Oregon History. Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956.
- ^ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (December 29, 1997). "News Release 97-127". Press release. https://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pa/news/shownews.asp?rn=97-127. Retrieved 2007-06-10.
- ^ The Sunday Oregonian, Metro Northwest Section, page 3, January 13, 2008
- ^ a b Dungca, Nicole (October 28, 2009). "Second chance for Willamette Falls Locks, an Oregon treasure". The Oregonian. http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2009/10/second_chance_for_an_oregon_tr.html. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
External links
- Army Corps of Engineers facts
- End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center website
- National Trust website advocating saving the locks
- Willamette Falls Heritage Foundation
Coordinates: 45°21′18″N 122°37′3.468″W / 45.355°N 122.61763°W
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